Congo’s South Kivu governor gives miners the go-ahead to start working again

The governor of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s South Kivu province has given the go-ahead for all mining operations to resume in the area, but said that authorities would still be looking into the sector.

In July, Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki told companies and operators to leave mining sites so that “order could be restored to mining operations.” The troubled area is full of minerals like gold, copper, diamonds, tin, tantalum, and cobalt.

The ban was lifted in August, but gold mining was still not allowed. Back then, a government spokesperson said in a statement that talks with operators in the business would continue.

An early review after the ban in July showed that more than 550 of the nearly 650 mining operators did not have the right permits, a provincial mines minister told Reuters in early September.

Plus, he said that more than 45 people, including two judges, had been arrested in the province for fraud and illegal mineral taking.

During a meeting on Monday, Governor Sadiki told mining operators, “Today, we’re opening up mining activities all over the region.”

Besides that, he said that a team would be sent to look into each mining company to stop the local people from being exploited.

“If they violate any of our commitments, we’ll shut down that company or cooperative and hit them with exemplary fines,” he said.

Authorities in South Kivu province have accused several companies of doing illegal things, such as mining without permits, putting chemicals into water sources, and not paying their workers enough.